Should I do an engagement session?

September 22, 2020

Planting Fields Arboretum

Should you do an engagement session and why?

I have seen this question bounced from time to time.

Why should you do an engagement session? First and foremost, I would absolutely suggest doing an engagement session with your wedding photographer, even if you already had one with someone else. A professional tip is that many wedding photographers already include the engagement session in their collections. So it really isn’t going to cost you extra. 

Relationships and Quality Time

The engagement session is a great way for you to spend time with your wedding photographer before your wedding. Doing an engagement session with your wedding photographer will help you to build a personal connection together. When I show up to my bride’s getting ready room, I know that this is going to be a very intimate part of the day. My brides are taking this time to spend with all of the girls they have the closest relationships with. These are typically the girls who have walked through every milestone with them. So sometimes having a stranger walk into this type of setting can be uncomfortable. My goal is to make my brides feel like they already know me. I want them to feel comfortable knowing it’s me walking into their getting ready room and not someone they barely know. 

Planting Fields Arboretum

Trust and Confidence

Not only do I use engagement sessions for relationship building, but I also use them as a way to build trust. During the engagement session, you can see how I interact with light, the location and you! 

The most common phrase I hear from couples is that they think they are awkward in front of the camera. I am here to tell you, you’re not! Every single couple tells me they are awkward and guess what, they always kill it! 

Yes, some couples can be very natural in front of the camera while others need more direction. That is totally okay! I love to use this time to teach you my posing system and how to create those candid moments on camera that everyone loves. I love getting to know how you two interact as a couple, so that before the time crunch on your wedding day, I can help you two feel as confident as possible.  

I know that every pose is not for every couple. Shooting before your wedding day will help you and I determine certain poses that are better for you specifically. On your wedding day, I will already have that in mind when it comes to husband and wife portraits. 

What if you two show up to your wedding day already knowing you are going to be awesome at taking beautiful portraits instead of feeling nervous.

So go out, get dressed up! Make it a date night! Use this session as a way to get you two used to being in front of the camera. 

Planting Fields Arboretum

Trail Runs and Practice Makes Perfect.

When you book your wedding vendors, typically you do a trial run with almost everyone you hire. You get hair and makeup done, you taste the food, you taste the cake, you listen to your DJ or band, so why not do a test run with the one vendor who will last a lifetime after your wedding day.

I have always been a safety player. I like to think of your engagement session as your trial before the wedding. Even if you have already had an engagement session done, just think of this session as a free bonus for more pretty pictures that you can frame and hang in your new home together. 

Bonus Tip: I suggest getting your hair and makeup trial done on the same day as your engagement session. Your whole look will start to come together. You will be able to determine exactly how your makeup is going to photograph on the day of your wedding. If there is anything you would like to change, you can ask them to switch a few things up before your big day.

So yes, I always suggest doing an engagement session.

Just go out and have fun with it. You will never regret doing one, but you might regret not doing it.

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